Page 68 of Built of Illusions

Nico laughed and took the mug. He’d known Tansy almost his whole life. He and Joe had been friends long before their parents were killed. In all the ways, Tansy was his sister. “Josie wants to pry a confession out of Nelson.”

Tansy frowned at Josie. “Are you sure? Do you want to see that creep?”

Josie nodded and took a sip of the tea. “I’m sure. I want him to see proof his plan didn’t get completed. We can’t bring back those poor women he killed, but we can make sure he never hurts anyone else. I just want to change so he doesn’t get any satisfaction from my injury.”

Tansy nodded slowly. “How about your yellow dress, your fuzzy white sweater, and moccasins? That’s happy and relaxed.”

Josie grinned. “Exactly what I want him to see.”

Tansy stood. “I’ll grab them from your room and tell Sam. You can use the bathroom down here to get ready.”

Josie turned to him. “I want to do this, Nico. I want us to do it together.”

He nodded and brushed his hand over her cheek. “You’re so damn special, Josie. I love you.”

Her face lit up and he had to kiss her again. After a few moments, Josie pulled back just enough to whisper against his lips. “I’m struggling to believe today isn’t just a dream. I love you, too.”

When Tansy came back into the room, she helped Josie into the other room to get changed. Sam plopped down where she’d been sitting. “You okay?”

Nico huffed out a breath. “More than okay. We’ve got the prick. Josie loves me back. Life is good.”

Sam laughed. “Pretty succinct and true. If Josie’s sure about this, we’re going to record the conversation. I think seeing her happy and whole is going to snap something in him, so we’ll be prepared for anything.”

Nico nodded. “He’s not going to get loose with all of us here, but if he gets too vile, I’m getting her out of there.”

Sam nodded and studied him. “She’s insightful. I think she can not only handle it, I think she’ll shine.”

“She always does.”

Sam chuckled. “You’ve got it bad, my friend. Nice to see.”

Nico couldn’t agree more.

Josie used the brush Tansy had brought to tame her hair. It was one of the features Nelson had focused on and she would use it to try to get him to spill his disgusting guts.

She set down the brush and moved into the hall. Of course, Nico stood right there. His eyes cruised over her, sending tingles over her skin and settling her nerves. He held out his hand and she put hers in it.

When he tugged her in for a kiss she went willingly. “Sam’s going to be taping our conversation. No pressure though. Any time you want to leave, we leave.”

And he would go with her. Even though she knew he wanted to start interviewing the man right there. “I’ll let you know, but I think I’ll be fine.”

He waggled his eyebrows. “You’re already there.”

When she laughed he slung his arm over her shoulder and walked with her into the mudroom.

Adrian Nelson sat on a chair with his legs shackled together and his wrists cuffed. Mitch knelt on the floor beside him, putting his first aid kit back together. He stood and turned to them. “He’s good for transport.”

Nelson growled and looked up. When he spotted Josie and Nico in the doorway, he tried to leap to his feet. Marcus and Joe had their hands on his shoulders and kept him in the chair.

“You bitch. You’re supposed to be dead. Soon, you will be dead. I’m going to slash your face to ribbons. You’re just like the others. Useless whore.”

Josie kept a neutral expression on her face, even though her stomach roiled at the hatred in his gaze and the nasty words spewing from his mouth.

She steadied herself before she spoke. “So you killed all those women because you chose to stay with your abusive father? How does that make any sense?”

“She left me. She deserves to die. You’re all the same.”

“What did Zoey Gutierrez do to you?”

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